Device for inserting index tabs



DEVICE FOR INSERTING INDEX TABS Filed May 22, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet l w x 1 I. M" u Z I a 28 f W 7 21. 2 a 0/ M5 M5 Aug. 4, 1936. w, GOLLWlTZER 2,049,438

DEVICE FOR INSERTING INDEX TABS F iled May 22, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 061 3.5 90 m A 7/ I o \g u H T H l @::3 W. Fi-

fig. 15

1936- w. T. GOLLWITZER 2,049,433

DEVICE FOR INSERTING INDEX TABS Filed May 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 J 2 70 ma 5/ A 9 M/ 75 7 fig/5 25 Q5 qo Wm r. @ZZM 76%, @M

Patented Aug. 4, 1936 PATENT OFFICE DEVICE FOR INSERTKNG INDEX TABS Walter T. Gollwitzer, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Addressograph Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application May 22, 1934, Serial No. 727,014

24 Claims. (Cl. 10147) This invention concerns a device designed to facilitate the placement of index tabs on members to be indexed, such as a character-carrying plate suitable for use in a printing machine.

5 Such a printing device may comprise va flat plate, having printing characters embossed directly thereon, or it may act as a carrier for an auxiliary plate having embossed characters. The index tabs are metal markers, adapted to be inserted in keepers on the printing device to visually indicate some characteristic of the matter on the device or to act as a selective means for feeding the plate into a printing machine, which transfers the impression of the embossed characters onto a suitable printing medium, such as paper.

Heretofore it has been necessary to mount such index tabs on the printing device by hand, an

operator with one hand picking up th-ewdevice and with the other an index tab; and manually placing the latter in slots of the printing device.

This method of placement was slow and laborious.

In the usual method of procedure, it frequently happens that a quantityof index tabs would be delivered in a jumbled condition to the operator.

That is, instead of being neatly piled in containers, the tabs would be merely dumped into a tray or box. This disorderly arrangement of the tabs rendered it necessary for the operator to sort and correctly position each tab, in order that he might have it in position to insert in the slot of the plate holder. Further, by reason of thefact that the tabs were normally handled individually by the operator, it frequently happened that tabs were lost or dropped. The small size of the tabs and the great number handled resulted in an appre-- ciable waste of time and material over a given period.

The general object of my invention is to provide a device by means of which it is possible to avoid manual handling of each individual tab, as it is being mounted in its respective carrier. A further object of my invention is to effect the use of a cartridge, which shall contain, properly 4 positioned, a given number of index tabs, together with means for feeding the tabs, one at a time, from the cartridge to the slots of address plate holders or other carriers.

An additional object of my invention is to con- 50 struct a device which will effect a saving of time by the mechanical handling of index tabs, and

render easier the work of the person engaged in such handling. To this end I'have provided an implement which may be comfortably retained 5 in the hand, and which will carry a cartridge of tabs and readily insert them by simple manual movement of the implement handle. In the accomplishment of this result, I have so constructed my device as to conceal much of the operating mechanism within the confines of. the handle. 5 The cartridge holder, however, has been mounted outside of the handle so that ready access may be obtained to it for the replacement of cartridges when they become empty.-

The index tabs, which are small, metallic pieces 10 having a head with a reduced shank, are supplied to the implement in cartridges which are preferably three sided and open at the ends. The tabs are mounted in the cartridge through an end and a narrow shank thereof protrudes out- 15 wardly from the cartridge through the open side, means being provided in the cartridge for preventing the removal of tabs through the end until desired.

By proper operation of the handle, the mecha- 20 nism embodied therein acts to open one end of the cartridge to permit the removal of. index tabs therefrom. Further movement of the handle results in so locating anindex tab that it partially projects from the nose of the device. Upon loca- 25 cation, and shown in the appended drawings,

from which other objects of the invention will become apparent. The essential novel features 35 of my invention will be summarized in the claims.

Referring now to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my tab inserting device, showing the cartridge holder, handle and part of the operating mechanism. Fig. 2 is a plan of a portion of my 40 device, placed in operating position against a fragment of an address plate holder. Fig. 3 is a section through the nose of my device, showing a tab entering an abutting plate holder, as indicated by the line 33 on'Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional view, through my device, taken in a plane parallel to that of Fig. 1, showing the mechanism of the device, as well as a cartridge containing index tabs. Fig. 5 is a vertical section, as indicated by 5-5 on Fig. 4, showing the trigger plate mounted on the fiat end of the handle. Fig. 6 is an isometric view of the trigger plate, but with the handle portion broken off. Fig. 7 is an isometric view of the cartridge, designed to hold the index tabs, the right-hand end of which is shown as open to permit the removal of the tabs and the left-hand end as closed to prevent such removal. Fig. 8 is .a transverse section through the cartridge, showing the position occupied by a tab mounted therein. Fig. 9 is a vertical section, through the cartridge holder mechanism, as indicated by 99 on Fig. 1, with the exception of the fact that the tabs are not shown. Fig. 10 is a horizontal section through the cartridge and cartridge holder, as indicated by ill-49 on Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a plan of a portion of the mechanism, showing the means employed to open an end of the cartridge and showing in section a cartridge mounted thereon. Fig. 12 is a similar view, with the mechanism so positioned that the end of the cartridge has been opened. Fig. 13 is a section taken as indicated by I3|3 on Fig. 11, showing the fixed frame and bars slidable therein. Fig. 14 is a fragmentary sec tion taken in the same plane as Fig. 4, depicting the cartridge-opening bar in its operative position. Figs. 15 and 16 are sections similar to Fig. 14, but showing various positions of the ejector bar and the corresponding position of the tab in its movement out of the nose of the device. Fig. 17 is a view of an index tab, while Fig. 18 is a plan of a suitable address plate holder with the tab mounted therein. Fig. '19 is an isometric view of the body and its slidable bars, showing the order in which they nest together. Fig. 20 is a transverse section through the handle on the mechanism, as indicate-d by 26-26 on Fig. 16.

As heretofore mentioned, I prefer to make my tab inserting device compact enough to be comfortably supported in the hand. To'this end, I provide a body 4!! which, in part is surrounded by a handle 89. It is bygripping this handle that the operator holds the device. A tab 45 normally is supported in a cartridge 35 and is ejected from the device through a nose 4|. The cartridge holder 25 is mounted on the body 40 and perpendicular thereto at a point adjacent the nose 4|. Means by which the cartridge holder 25 is permitted to be readily removable from the body 45 is desirable, To this end I employ a stirrup member 26 of such width that it closely fits the sides of the body 40 and extends a substantial distance beyond such sides. Fastened to the stirrup at the open top thereof, and on the inner stirrup faces is the cartridge holder 25. On the bottom of the stirrup is a hole of sufiioient size to threadingly admit a machine screw 2'1. A rectangular plate 28 is drilled and tappedto accommodate the screw 21. By virtue of the threaded hole in the stirrup bottom and the plate 28, it is possible to tighten the screw 2'! against the underface of the body 40 and thereby retain the cartridge holder 25 firmly against the upper face of the body. The plate 28 not only acts as a means of bracing the screw 21 but as it is'held by the stirrrup against rotation it is forced downwardly slightly as the screw is seated, and thus acts as a lock-nut.

-The cartridge holder is preferably rectangular and open along the side facing the nose 4|. For this reason I employ as a cartridge holder a rectangular channel 25, having its open side adjacent the nose. Such opening in the channel extends the full length thereof. As shown in Fig.9, the stirrup 26 has been made of such shape that it closely embraces the outer faces of 'the channel side walls, at a point adjacent their bottom as it stands in a vertical position. The cartridge holder 25 and the stirrup 26 may be firmly held together by machine screws 29.

The inner dimensions of the cartridge holder 25 are such that a cartridge, as shown in Fig. '7, may readily slide therein. The cartridge 35 is retained in the holder by the overlying latch 36, as best shown in Figs. 4 and 9. This latch has in the sides 3'! adjacent their inner edge parallel grooves adapted to be engaged by mating edges of the back face 32 of the cartridge holder channel. Such a mounting allows movement of the latch only in the direction of the length of the cartridge holder. A hole 38 is drilled in the outer face of the latch. A suitable ear 39 is bent outwardly from the back plate 32 to register with the hole 38 and a compression spring 4| occupies the hole 38 and bears against an ear 39, causing the latch 36 to be normally retained in the downward position shown in Figs. 4 and 9. When so retained, an inner lip 42 on the latch is adapted to overlie an edge of the bottom portion of the cartridge 35 and thus retain the cartridge against outward movement with respect to the cartridge holder, 25.

The cartridge 35, as shown in Fig. '7, is similar to the cartridge holder 25, in that it is formed of a channel member open along one entire side and at each end. The sides 46 of the cartridge extend inwardly at the top to form overlying lips 41. It is these overlying lips which combine with the sides 46 and the bottom 48 to retain index tabs 45, as shown in Fig. 8.

It will be noted that at the ends of the cartridge, each side is provided with two tongue portions 53a and 55b. The tongues 59b at each edge closest the'bottom 48 of the cartridge extend a longer distancelengthwise of the sidesAB than do the tongues adjacent the lips 41. The base of the tongues face the bottom 48 of the cartridge, each tongue being formed by a suitable L-shaped slot cut in the side 46 adjacent the end edges.

, When a cartridge has been filled with tabs, both ends are closed by turning thetongues inwardly, in contrast to the position shown at the righthand end of Fig. '7, which is the position the tongues occupy when tabs are being inserted in the cartridge. It will be noted that the bottom 48 of the cartridge 35 is shorter than the sides. This results in an open portion 53 at each end of the cartridge along the bottom for a use hereinafter mentioned.

nose of the device. As shown in Fig. 8, the index tabs 45 are mounted in the cartridge 35 in such manner that the shanks protrude through the open side of the cartridge. As shown in Fig. 4, when a cartridge is 'mounted in the cartridge holder 25, thetabs tend to drop down so that the lowermost assumes a desired position in the body 40.

' To exert a constant pressure to retain the lowermost tab in the desired position, I provide a follower block 55 which bears against the uppermost tab. This block is retained by screws 56 to a collar 58, partially encircling the cartridge holder 25, as shown in Fig. 10. The collar 58, by virtue of its three sides and the overlying lips 59, is retained against any movement but a vertical sliding motion on the cartridge holder. As shown in Fig. 9, the collar 58 supports a spring barrel mechanism 60. Depending from this mechanism is a cord 6| fastened between the stirrup 26 .and an auxiliary plate 62 by the screws 29.

.one.

Since the cord BI is anchored at one end to the cartridge holder and at the other to the spring barrel, the tendency of the two ends to draw together results in a constant downward pressure of the block 55 on the top of the tabs 45.

When the supply of tabs in one cartridgehas become exhausted, as hereinafter explained, the empty cartridge is readily replaced by a loaded To accomplish this, the operator grasps a knob 84 of a plunger 65 slidably carried by the block 55, withdraws the plunger and simultaneously raises the block 55 above the extreme upper end of the empty cartridge. When the block 55 is so raised against the action of the cord leading from the spring barrel 55 to an anchor on the cartridge holder, the nose 56 of the plunger aligns with an opening 5'! in the wall of the cartridge holder. Upon the release of the plunger 55, a suitable compression spring 69, surrounding the stem of the plunger, and acting between a wall of the block 55 and the enlarged head 55 of the plunger, urges the plungerinto cooperation with the opening 6! and thereby maintains the block 55 in its inactive position, out of engagement with the cartridge.

When the block 55 has been raised, the oper- ,ator raises the latch 35 and withdraws the exhausted cartridge from the device, replaces such cartridge with a loaded one and releases the latch 35, securing the loaded cartridge in place. The plunger 65 is then withdrawn from the opening 61 in the cartridge holder and the block 55 is drawn into engagement with the uppermost tab in the new cartridge by the tension of the cord 5 i The head of the plunger thereafter bears against the rear wall of the cartridge and assists in maintaining the latter in position within the cartridge holder.

The handle 80, in addition to providing a convenient means for holding the device, acts as a retainer for certain of the operating mechanism, as will be hereinafter more fully described. The handle, as shown, is a barrel-shaped body having an axial opening extending therethrough, and is slit longitudinally in a plane passing through its axis and joined together by suitable screws or other fastening means. The handle is so shaped as to provide acomfortable hand grip and is provided adjacent its left hand end (Fig. 4) with an enlarged or outwardly flaring portion, which aids in the retention of the device in the hand when the handle is shoved toward the left (Fig. 4).

The right hand end of the handle 85 is closed by a suitable closure member, such as the button 82, which is retained in position within the handle by an annular flange 83, integral with the button and engaging a suitable annular recess in the handle.

The handle 85 is slidably mounted on the bod Ml. As shown, the left hand portion of the opening 8| which extends axially through the handle 80, is rectangular in cross section and houses the body 38. Also, slidably mounted in the rectangular portion of the opening 8| are a series of slides which are selectively slidable as a unit or independently as will be hereinafter more fully described. These slides include a bar 95 for straightening the cartridge tongue, and a tab ejector bar I56.

Fig. 19 best illustrates the component parts of the body, the slides, and the general relationship of these parts, one to the other. The

tab ejector bar N10 is of slightly less width than member I05 of the body 40. This bar is slightly less in thickness than the tab with which the device is to be used and serves to eject the bottommost tab from the device,.as will be hereinafter more fully described.

The upper part of the body 45 comprises a member I H), which is superimposed on the member I05 covering the ejector bar I69, and which serves to support the cartridge and cartridge holder. The member I I0 is of the same length as the member E55 and adjacent its left hand end (Figs. 4 and 19) is provided with an opening I I I.

This opening is of such size as to permit the free passage of tabs therethrough- The surface of the member ilfl adjacent the walls of the openmg I! l serves as a support against which the cartridge holder and the cartridge are forced by the set screw 2'! and the latch 35, respectively. The two body members I55 and llllare abutted by a sleeve lZfi, which is slidably mounted in the rear portion of the axial opening 82, and are normally urged outwardly from the handle by a compression spring lZi which encircles the sleeve and abuts a flange thereof.

The cartridgeto-ngue straightening bar 90 is slightly less in width than the distance between opposite side walls of the cartridge and is slidably mounted in a longitudinally extending channel H2 formed in the upper face of the bar H0,

and in its normal position lies with its left hand end 9! adjacent the recess 53 of the cartridge.

When the operator has inserted and secured in position, in the device, a cartridge containing a supply of tabs to be inserted in suitable keepers on an address printing device, the tongues of the cartridge are straightened to permit the tabs to be forced under the influence of the block 55 onto the face of the body 40. This is accomplished by forcing the bar 90 forward toward the cartridge and projecting the bar into the cartridge and past the tongues thereof.

, To force the bar 95 forward, the operator grasps the cartridge holder with one hand and depresses a latch 95 into engagement with the bar 90, locking the bar and handle 80 together in such a manner that the movement of the handle toward the left, from the position shown in Fig. '4 to the position shown in Fig. 14, will cause the bar 90 to be likewise moved toward the left relative to the cartridge.

The latch 95 controls the operation of the bar 98 and also the operation of the ejector slide I00. This latch, as shown in Fig. 6, comprises a platelike member extending perpendicularto the body it and slidably mounted in a dovetailed slot, formed in the left hand face of the handle'BO, as in Fig. 5. The latch 95 is provided with a rectangular opening 95, through which the body and the various slides freely pass- A pair of tongues or lugs 98 and 99 project from the latch into the opening 96 towards the bar or slide 90 and the body member i 05, respectively. A suitable spring 91 supported on a pin 94 carried by the handle 8i] coacts with the lower edge of the latch plate 95 and normally retains it in its uppermost position (Fig. 4); that is, with the lug 99 projecting through a slotted opening H16 in the body mem. her 105 and engaged by a depending lug or stop I!!! carried by the ejector bar I00.

The latch 95 is provided with a handle or thumb rest 93 to aid the operator to depress it into engagementwith the bar 90 against the action of the spring 97. Such depression of the latch causes the lug 98 projecting downwardly into the opening 96 to occupy a'transverse, slot 92 in the ejector-bar 90, as shown in Figs. 12 and 14. As a result of such engagement, the handle and the ejector bar move as a unit when the handle is moved with respect to the body 40 by the operator. When the handle is moved to the left (Fig. 14), the bar 90 accompanies it until the position shown in that figure is reached. As the bar 90 is moved in such direction, the end 9I thereof enters the recess 53 of the mounted cartridge and engages the inturned tongues 561a and 50b, as shown in Fig. 11, to straighten them until they assume the position shown in Fig. 12.

Having straightened the tongues 50a and 501), as above described, the operator releases the cartridge holder, which moves outwardly, to the left, under the influence of the spring I2I, which was compressed as the handle was moved to straighten the tongues. As the spring [2| moves the cartridge holder, through the medium of the sleeve I20 and the body 40, the bar 90 is withdrawn from the cartridge by a pin 83, carried by the handle, which engages one end of a slot 84 in the bar and which prevents further outward movement of the bar relative to the handle. A pin or lug I 55 on the bar IIG then coacts with the left hand edge of the slot 8 2 and prevents movement toward the left of the bar I lb. The cartridge-holder retainstirrup 26 looks the member I05 to the member H6, and thereby prevents movement of the latter member outwardly from the handle.

The withdrawal of the bar 90, as above mentioned, positions the ejector bar I69 to partially eject a tab. The ejector bar, as hereto-fore mentioned, is slidably mounted the channel I03 in the member I05. The right hand end (Fig. 4) of the ejector bar extends beyond themember I05 into the sleeve I20, where it is secured by a pin 22 to a plunger I23. A suitable compression spring l24, surrounding'a reduced portion of the plunger, coacts with a disc I25, rigidly carried in an annular groove within the handle, to normally urge the ejector bar to its extreme outward or left hand position relative to the body 00, as shown in Fig. 14; As the handle was moved to straighten the lugs of the cartridge holder, the ejector bar was urged to its extreme outward or left-hand position relative to the body 40, by virtue of the contact between a sleeve I25 carried by the plunger I21, and the disc I25, thereby compressing the spring I24- The release of the cartridge holder and the consequent movement between the body 40 and the handle acted to withdraw the ejector bar from beneath the tabs and position it for partially ejecting the lowermost tab, as shown in Fig. 15. As the latch was released, the tongue 90 of the latch as was urged upwardly in front of a lug IIlI of the ejector bar (Fig. I l), and is main tained in this position by the latch spring 91. Hence, when the cartridge holder 25 was released, the tongue 99 prevented outward movement (to the left in Fig. 4) of the ejector bar 590 relative to the handle 80, and maintained the ejector spring I2I compressed, as well as resulting in the relative withdrawal of the ejector bar from be- 7 neath the tabs within the cartridge, permitting the'lowermost tab to fall into place on the member I05 immediately in front of the left-hand end of the ejector bar.

If, for any reason, the ejector bar is not withdrawn from the cartridge holder, (such,'for instance, as the failure of the operator to release the latch 95and the cartridge holder substantially simultaneously) ,then the cartridge holder is again firmly'grasped and the handle is then moved toward it. As the ejector bar is restrained from movement toward the cartridge holder by contact between the frame 40 and the plunger I23, this movement causes the compression of the ejector spring I20. As the handle moves to the left, the tongue 99 of the latch 95 is cammed downwardly against the action of the latch spring 91, by a sloping portion of the lug I M, and, passing the lug, the tongue 99 is forced upwardly in front thereof, so that on the release of the cartridge holder by the operator, the spring I2I will cause the ejector bar to be withdrawn from beneath the tabs, as heretofore described. The parts then will assume the position as shown in Fig.4

The shank of the lowermost tab will now be partiallyejected from the nose 4| to facilitate locating it relative to the address printing device' or other object in which it is to be mounted. This is accomplished by depressing the latch 95, whereupon the tongue 99 is moved out of registration with the lug IGI of the bar I00. The ejector spring I24, which was compressed, as heretofore mentioned, now moves the plunger I20 and the ejector bar I00 toward the left from the position shown in Fig. 4 to the position shown in Fig. 15. Such movement of the ejector bar is limited by the nut I21, carried on the right hand end of the plunger abutting the disk I25 of the handle. As shown, the nut may be adjusted to vary the amount of this limited movement that can take place. As the ejector bar moves forward this limited distance, the bar engages the lowermost tab in the cartridge and partially ejects it from the device.

It is now possible to locate the shank of the partially ejected tab relative to the object on which it is to be placed. The embodiment shown in the drawing is especially adapted to position index tab-s on a printing device, similar to that shown in Fig. 18. Such printing device A is illustrated also in Figs. 2 and 3, and may comprise a metallic plate having raised overturned lips I30 intermediate its edges, and an overturned edge lip I 3I, which cooperate with a pair of spring tongues I35 to retain in position thereon a metal plate having printing characters embossed on its face, such plate being indicated by dotted lines B in Fig. 18. The printing device is also provided with an overturned edge lip I31 and a series of upwardly extending tongues I38, which retain a suitable identification card in position on the device, such card being prevented from endwise movement by stops I39 and I52. The identification card may carry the impression of the printing plate or any other notation desired and is indicated by the dotted lines C on Fig. 18.

Beneaththe card is a series of keepers or pockets I60, adapted'to support an index tab 45, so that the body of the tab projects outwardly from the edge of the printing device, and lies in substantially the same plane as the body thereof. It will be seen from Figs. 2, 3 and 18 that the printing device is formed to permit a tab to be inserted in the keeper slots and to be retained therein by moving a tongue 45a of the tab out of the plane of the body of the tab, with the result that the end of the tongue abuts a portion of the plate holder.

The keepers are formed of the material of the printing device, and comp-rise straps separated above and below from the material of the plate proper and connected at their ends by intermediate plate portions IGI, the material of the plate tively raised loops.

directly behind the horizontal line defining the edge of the keepers.

The shank 45w of the tab 45 has a width slightly less than that of the pocket or keeper and the thickness of the tab is slightly less than the depth of the pocket, as bounded at the rear by the front face of the zone I63 and at the front by the rear face of the straps I60. Accordingly, the

tab may be pushed down into position through the openings I66 near the top of the plate. Now, when a tab is inserted, the lower end of the shank engages the incline I of the printing device and continued shoving in of the tab bends the lower end by reason of the camming action of the plate and likewise bends the tongue 456 to a position such that the end of the tongue stands directly in line with the edge I68 of the keeper. Accordingly, the tab cannot be drawn out until the tongue 456 thereof is displaced from this position.

It may be noted that the specific tab shown in Fig. 1'7, and the'specific address printing device shown in Fig. 18, as well as the combination thereof, are shown, described'and claimed in my pending applicationNo. 612,957, filed May 23, 1932, and assigned to Addressogr aph Company. Reference may be had to'that application for a fuller description of such devices.

Having partially ejected the tab 45 from the implement, so that the end of the tab projects a slight distance from theend of the implement, the operator brings the tab into alignment with the keepers on the, device, towhich the tab is to be applied. This may be done by a partial insertion or not, as desired. In either event, the tab is aligned with its keeper and the nose of the implement brought against the adjacent edge of the device. The implement shown in the drawings is especially adapted, to insert index tabs on printing devices, and hence, the nose of the body 40 is formed to coact with the edge of such devices. As shown, the ends of the body members I85 and .I III, which lie above and below the partially ejected tab 45, are provided at their outer ends with guiding recesses III! and 1, respectively, either one of which is adapted to engage the rolled edge It? of the printing device, which is held thereagainstby the operator.

The recesses I01 and. II! are shown the same distance from the plane of the partially ejected tab. This position of the notchesw enables the implement to place the tabs either face foremost on the same printing device, which is .of advantageif, the tabs are formed with different visible designations on their opposite sides. If desired, however, one of the recesses might be farther away from the plane of the tab than the other, which would enable the implementto operate I always with one face of the tab, for a given printing device, but to insert them in differently dimensioned printing devices.

Having located or aligned the shank of the tab 45 with reference to the keepers I 60. of the printing device, the tab is forced intoposition on the device by an operation' of the handle 80. The handle is moved toward the printing device--that is, to the left, in the drawings,until the ejector bar ma moves from the position shown in Fig. 15, to'the position shown in Fig. 16, at which'time the tab 45 will be ejected from the nose'of the implement a sulficient distance tobe seated and locked in its respective keeper. As the handle was so moved, the bar I00 remained stationary relative to the cartridge holder until the ejector spring I 24 was compressed, at which time the end of the sleeve I28 abutted the disc I25, and

hence continued movement of the handle 80 caused the ejector bar I00, connected through the plunger I 23, to the sleeve I26, to complete the seating of the lowermost tab in its respective keeper. The pressure on the handle is now released and the compression spring I2I acts'to return the parts to their normal position, the

tab being locked in position on the printing dehandle 80, under impulse of the spring I2I, the ejector bar spring I24 was compressed ready for' the operator to cause the partial ejection of' the next tab 45. As thehandle 80 was moved forward to position the tab on the printing device, the ejector spring I24 was compressed and the lug IIlI on the ejector bar was carried to the right (Fig. 16) of the latch 95, which was retained in contact with the ejector bar by the latch spring 91. Hence, as the compression spring I2I returned the parts to the position shown in Fig. 4, the ejector bar was withdrawn from beneath the tabs in the cartridge holder and the ejector spring was maintained compressed, ready for the operator to partially eject the next tab from the 19. "The members I05 and III], which form the body 40, are cut away or beveled at the nose, as shown at I08 and H8, adjacent the corners, which lie next tothe tab. The result is 'a' substantially rectangular nose having a central portion of restricted width, thus allowing tabs to be, mounted soclose to; one another that their edges touch.

, As shown in the drawings, the tabis preliminarily partially ejected from the nose of the implement a sufiicient distance toslightly enter the,

shank of the tab in the keeper of the retaining device. However, if it is desired. to simply align the tab with the keeper, the nut I2! of the plunger,

I23 is adjustedtoward the disc I25.- This controls the distance the tab will be ejected by the depression of the latch 95. Likewise, if it is desired to eject the tab further, say, for instance, totally from the device, the, nut I21 would be adjusted away from the plunger I23.

I claim: V 1. An implement for facilitating the placement of an. index tab on a member to be indexed comcartridge for confining the tabs therein, a tool adapted to carry the cartridge, means on the tool for opening the cartridge to free a tab, and means on the tool for ejecting the freed tab.

3. A device to place index members on a memher to be indexed, comprising a holder for index members, means adapted for successive operation to partially eject an index member from said holder and operable subsequently tofurther eject the index member.

4. A device of the class described, comprising a body, a holder for index members mounted on said body, settable means for partially ejecting an index member from said body and to further eject said partially ejected member.

5. A device of the class described, comprising a body, a holder for index members on said body, an ejector, resilient means to urge said ejector toward an index member, and releasable means to constrain said resilient means.

6. An implement for facilitating the placement of index members on members to be indexed, comprising means for carrying agroup of the index members, a handle for said means, ejecting mechanism, means for putting the same under constraint, and a releasable latch associated with the handle for holding the ejecting mechanism when constrained.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of a handle, a spring carried thereby, an ejector bar, means operated by movement of the handle against the action of the spring to constrain resilient means acting on the ejector said holder to said body, one at a time, means to partially eject the transferred members from the body to facilitate their location relative to a member to be indexed, and means to transfer a partially ejected index member from the bod to the member to be indexed.

9. A device of the class described, comprising a body, a holder for index members. carried by said body, settable means for partially ejecting an index member from said body, means to transfer a partially ejected index member toa unit to be indexed, and said settable means being reset by the operation of said last named means.

10. A device of the class described, comprising a body, means on said body to retain a stack of index tabs with the endmost tab thereof .in contact with said body, means toeject said endmost tab from said body, a spring, and means operable consequent upon the operation of said aforesaid means to position said spring to cause a subsequent partial ejection of. the next succeeding tab.

11. In a device for facilitating the placement of index members on members to be indexed, the combination of a handle, means connected therewith for carrying a supply of index members, means whereby the movement of the handle toward the member to be indexed while an index member is partially projecting from the device completes the ejection of such index member and also constrains a spring, and a latch ,adapted subsequently to release the spring and partially eject the next index member.

12. In an implementfor placing index tabs on members to be indexed, the combination of means for carrying a plurality of index tabs in face engagement, a handle movablyconnected with said means, an abutment movably connected with the handle and adapted to engage the member to be indexed, means whereby movement of the handle toward the member to be indexed when the abutment is in engagement with it may shove a partially ejected tab onto the member to be indexed, a spring constrained by said movement of the handle, a latch adapted to hold the spring constrained, and means whereby the release of the latch causes the partial ejection'of the next tab into position ready for mounting on the next member to be indexed.

13. A device of the class described, comprising abody, a holder for a set of index members on said body, means for feeding such set, an ejector, resilient means to urge, said ejector toward an index member, and releasable means to constrain said resilient means.

14. A device of the class described, a body, a holder for a set of index tabs carried by said body, means for feeding said set, an ejector mounted on said body, resilient means acting on said ejector, means for constraining said resilient means, a latchtoretain said resilient means constrained, and means torelease said latch to cause said ejector to engage and move a tab.

15. An implement to facilitate the placement on a member to be indexed, of an index tab having a head and a shank, comprising a holder for the tabs having a channel adapted'to embrace the heads with a narrower slot through which the shanks project, means for feeding the tabs along the channel with their shanks projecting, and means to eject the'tabsone at a time shankend foremost.

16. A device of the class described, a body, a holder for index tabs carried by said body, an ejector mounted on said body, a handle slidably mounted on said body, an abutment carried by said handle and coacting with said ejector consequent upon movement of said handle toward said holder, resilient means interposed between said abutment and said ejector and adapted to be compressed by the-movement of said handle toward said holder, a latch to retain said resilient in said body and adapted to engage the lowermost tab, a handle surrounding theejector bar and body and slidably mounted on the body for movement toward and awayfrom said holder, an abutment. in said handle to engage said ejector and eject thelowermost tab from the device consequent upon movement of the handle toward said holder. and resilient means within said handle compressed consequent upon such movement of the handle to return the parts to their normal positions. a

18. A device of the class described, comprisin a body, a holder for a stack of index tabs carried by said body, an ejector slide carried by said body in alignment with said lowermost tab. a member slidably mounted on said body and an abutment on said ejector adapted to be engaged by said member to force said endmost tab from said body by a relative sliding movement between said body and said member, a compression spring interposed between said member and said ejector and adapted to be compressed by the sliding movement of said member, a latch to retain said spring compressed, and a lost motion connection between the ejector and said member whereby said spring acts to partially eject a tab consequent upon the release of said latch.

19. A device of the class described, comprising a body, a holder for a stack of index tabs carried by said body, an ejector to eject an endmost tab from said body, an operating member for said ejector, a lost motion connection between said operating member and said ejector, a spring compressible by the movement of said operating member in taking up said lost motion, a latch to retain the ejector in position relative to said operating member with said spring compressed, whereby said member and ejector may be-moved as a unit relative to said holder to eject a tab from the device, means to return said ejector and member as a unit, operable means to disconnect said latch whereby said ejector may partially eject the next tab under the influence of said spring.

20. A device of the class described, comprising a body, a removable holder for a plurality of index tabs thereon, means whereby said tabs are yieldingly retained against said body, a handle on said body, a bar slidable in said handle and having an extension at one end, a compression spring bearing at one end against said bar extension and at the other against said handle, means on said extension to allow limited movement only between said extension and said handle, a latch on said handle adapted to engage said bar, to retain it in one position with respect to said limited movement, said latch being releasable whereby said bar is urged by said compression spring to partially eject the tab adjacent the body.

21. A device of the class described, comprising a body, a holder for an open end cartridge of index tabs thereon, inwardly turned tongues at said open end, a bar slidable on said body, a handle slidable on said body, a latch on said handle adapted to engage said bar, whereby said handle and said barslide as a unit, there being an end on said bar adapted to engage said inwardly turned tongues and straighten them to open said cartridge end.

22. A device of the class described, comprising a body, a holder for a cartridge of index tabs thereon, means on the cartridge maintaining its end closed, a bar slidable in said body, a handle slidable on said body, a latch on said handle adapted to engage said bar, whereby said handle and said bar slide as a unit, said bar being adapt ed to open said cartridge end, means on said holder whereby said tabs are yieldingly urged through said opened end onto said body, a second bar to eject one of said tabs from said body, settable means acting on said second bar wh reby a partial ejection of said tab results, and means consequent upon movement of said handle to reset said settable means after such partial ejection.

23. An implement to facilitate the placement of index tabs on a member to be indexed comprising a holder, a cartridge adapted to be mounted therein and carrying a set of tabs side by side, a follower slidably mounted in the holder, a spring barrel and a cord for moving the follower to advance the set of tabs, a handle movably connected with the holder, an ejector operated by axial movement of the handle to eject the foremost tab, and an abutment rigid with the holder and adapted to engage the edge of the member to be indexed.

24. The combination with an implement for inserting index tabs of a cartridge adapted to carry index tabs having heads and shanks comprising a channel-shaped member adapted to embrace the head of the tabs and carry a set of them in face engagement, said cartridge having a slot along one side narrower than the width of the channel, retaining means on the cartridge adapted to engage the head of the end-most tab, whereby the shanks of the tabs may project outside of the cartridge while the heads, are confined therein, said implement having means to receive the cartridge and render the retaining means thereof idle, means to feed the group of tabs in the cartridge, and means to eject the tabs one at a, time from the implement.

WALTER T. GOLLWITZER. 

